Working with technology has its ups and downs. There are a lot of times when the technology does not want to cooperate the way you would like or simply does not work altogether. How can we fix these problems from occurring every time you go to use something with technology in your classroom? There is no straight answer and to be honest, I don't know of any teacher who never has trouble from time to time. I know it is easy to say and not so easy to feel but if you do your best to prepare for the lesson in advance, such as letting the youtube video buffer as much as possible before hitting play, then you have done all you can. Other advice is to have a back-up plan for the really in-depth lesson that was supposed to use technology. Have other options for students to complete the assignment if all else fails and don't get discouraged because we all go through it. It may be a good option if you are uncomfortable in the beginning to have a more "technology-comfortable" person such as another colleague, a Learning Technologist or even a tech-savvy student nearby when working with a piece of equipment you are not used to yet.
The Responsibilities of Teaching with Technology
It is important to recognize that technology is a growing, living organism that can be manipulated. In that sense, it is necessary to be responsible when you or your students use technology in your classroom, and in particular, if you are using the internet. As a teacher, you need to be aware of the school division's privacy policy and your students parents' agreement about publishing their picture or work on the internet. As well, you must ensure that you're modelling responsible use of equipment, tools and technology in your classroom so it is vital that you follow the guidelines of the division and others concerning things such as including privacy, copyright, etiquette, piracy, plagiarism, and usage. Showing students how to use the technology is important but it is even more important to make sure students are being safe when they use it after you are done with them, such as when they go home and use the internet. Teaching students about Internet Safety does not have to be done isolation and only in a computer class. It is an integral part of our society today to be internet safety conscious and to ensure you are covering all of your bases; you need to touch on those topics whenever you begin working on a project. Proper care and use of technology tools is important and cannot be over-looked. It usually only takes a short amount of time but is worth all the effort in the end because usually, students produce better products when they know how much you will care about the way it was created.
Responsible Use of Technology in Schools
http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-students.aspx
http://www.iste.org/standards/nets-for-teachers.aspx
The Frustrations of Teaching with Technology
Working with technology has its ups and downs. There are a lot of times when the technology does not want to cooperate the way you would like or simply does not work altogether. How can we fix these problems from occurring every time you go to use something with technology in your classroom? There is no straight answer and to be honest, I don't know of any teacher who never has trouble from time to time. I know it is easy to say and not so easy to feel but if you do your best to prepare for the lesson in advance, such as letting the youtube video buffer as much as possible before hitting play, then you have done all you can. Other advice is to have a back-up plan for the really in-depth lesson that was supposed to use technology. Have other options for students to complete the assignment if all else fails and don't get discouraged because we all go through it. It may be a good option if you are uncomfortable in the beginning to have a more "technology-comfortable" person such as another colleague, a Learning Technologist or even a tech-savvy student nearby when working with a piece of equipment you are not used to yet.
The Responsibilities of Teaching with Technology
It is important to recognize that technology is a growing, living organism that can be manipulated. In that sense, it is necessary to be responsible when you or your students use technology in your classroom, and in particular, if you are using the internet. As a teacher, you need to be aware of the school division's privacy policy and your students parents' agreement about publishing their picture or work on the internet. As well, you must ensure that you're modelling responsible use of equipment, tools and technology in your classroom so it is vital that you follow the guidelines of the division and others concerning things such as including privacy, copyright, etiquette, piracy, plagiarism, and usage. Showing students how to use the technology is important but it is even more important to make sure students are being safe when they use it after you are done with them, such as when they go home and use the internet. Teaching students about Internet Safety does not have to be done isolation and only in a computer class. It is an integral part of our society today to be internet safety conscious and to ensure you are covering all of your bases; you need to touch on those topics whenever you begin working on a project. Proper care and use of technology tools is important and cannot be over-looked. It usually only takes a short amount of time but is worth all the effort in the end because usually, students produce better products when they know how much you will care about the way it was created.